You have surely seen the signs. They are all over the country. “Please use exact change. We face a coin shortage. Thank you.”
The problem dates back two years now, and it’s only getting worse. Count this as among the collateral damage of the Covid response. It’s one that hits the working poor particularly hard.
Nearly a quarter of Americans are either unbanked and underbanked. They need change, not only for daily spending but also for laundry machines and many other uses. Also, many small businesses depend on cash payments. They are allergic to the high fees of financial intermediaries.
Continue reading “Covidians and the Coin Shortage”
